Europeans prefer culture, heritage over gaming

Senior officials from the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) have noted that Macau’s current policies aimed at diversifying away from the gaming industry could have a positive impact on attracting visitors from Europe.

Speaking at a press conference at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort, with ECTAA’s annual summit as the backdrop, president Frank Oostdam and vice president Heli Mäki-Fränti shared their thoughts on Macau’s status as a tourism destination.

Questioned by the Times on what European visitors want to see and experience in Macau, Oostdam said, “I think cultural things, events, museums, activities in general. I think Europeans are generally quite active on their holidays, engaging in a wide range of activities. They also like to engage deeply with the community to understand the people living their regular lives. I think that’s very trendy among travelers in Europe –‘living like a local’ or ‘traveling local.’”

The same official noted that Europeans rarely want to “just lie on the beach for three weeks,” and would rather “do a mix of activities.”

“I think if you look at Macau, and even in the region here, there are lots of possibilities to do lots of things on the same trip, which could make for a fantastic holiday,” he added.

On the same topic, Mäki-Fränti said that one growing concern is sustainability.

“One issue is that we need to build travel destinations based on the wishes of the local people. That’s the most important thing, because there have been talks about over-tourism or the lack of management of travel flows,” she said.

“The big issue now is that local people need to enjoy living in that location, and then you can build travel and tourism on top of that.”

Oostdam also said he was impressed with the plans and new projects by SJM, which partnered with the summit and presented its current and upcoming developments beyond gaming. He found them appealing to European consumers.

“The European consumer is looking for more things that will enhance the experience – not only gambling, but also arts, culture and heritage, which is extremely well represented in Macau. This strong focus on culture and heritage will help market Macau and the surrounding region,” he said.

Taking place in Macau from June 2 to June 5, the ECTAA annual summit is gathering European tourism trade representatives and local travel agencies under the same roof.

According to officials, the summit aims to reinforce connections with the European travel trade and expand international visitor source markets.